Past, Present, Future
by NJ Coffee Queen
Summary: One past night's consequences leads to a complicated and interesting present and future for Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy.
1. Chapter 1

So, I've decided to start posting this new story I've been working on. Each chapter will be a combination of Hermione and Draco's past and present. Let me know what you think!

Oh, and the obligatory "I own nothing" goes right here.

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><p>Chapter 1<br>Hermione Granger stared down into crib, watching her eight month old son sleep. Her hand smoothed down his fine blonde hair. His eyelids fluttered over eyes she knew were chocolate brown, like her own. His chest rose and fell with each even breath he took. In her eyes, he was perfect.

Sighing, Hermione left the room. The floo activated just as she reached the living room of her flat. Out stepped Draco Malfoy looking exhausted after a long day of work. Wordlessly, he greeted her with a kiss on the lips. Stepping back, he collapsed onto the sofa and sighed, closing his eyes.

"Did he go down okay?" Draco asked, stretching out his legs in front of him. His eyes opened momentarily to catch her nod. "At the Weasleys' today?" Again, she silently answered with a nod.

"You look tired," Hermione observed. "Why didn't you just go home instead of coming here?"

"I wanted to see my son," he answered, hating that they had this conversation every time he came over.

Leaning against the archway, Hermione groaned. "Liam's asleep. You wake him up now, and I'm the one who'll be up all night trying to get him back down."

"Then I'll stay. Go to bed," he suggested, glowering at her. Getting to his feet, for he knew this was the part in the argument when she walked away, he crossed the room and stood before her. His hands gently held her upper arms, keeping her from leaving. "I can handle it."

"Fine," she resigned. Pulling out of his grasp, she turned and went to her bedroom. The nursery was just next door, and she could faintly hear the cooing sounds Draco made. As she prepared for bed, thoughts of the past floated through her mind.

_Hermione sat in a dank, crowded pub nursing her third firewhiskey of the evening. She was recently, as of two hours prior, single and slowly on her way to being completely pissed. After a four year relationship, she and Ron Weasley broke up with no warning. There had been no indiscretions on either of their part, nor had there been growing tension that would have alerted her to the split. Ron had merely told her that he felt they were better as friends, and after four years he didn't see their relationship progressing._

_Ron wanted out; Hermione wanted an engagement ring. In the end, it was Ron who got his way._

_And so, the longer she sat on that stool, she less she felt. The firewhiskey coursed through her, numbing inside and out. Breathing a soft sigh, Hermione was content with the glass in front of her and the noise around her._

_"Come here often?"_

_Hermione was not sure she heard right, and so turned to her left to see a tall, lean blonde taking the stool beside her. Instantly, she recognized him - Draco Malfoy._

_"Sod off, Malfoy," she mumbled, her words slurring as she took another sip. She frowned; the glass was empty._

_Draco signalled Tom, the barkeep, and ordered another round. "It's on me," he stated when she reached for her coin purse._

_Glad only that she was getting another drink, she thanked him. They waited silently for their drinks, and when they arrived, clinked glasses._

_"Here's to...asshole exes," Hermione toasted. She took a long sip of the heady alcohol and closed her eyes._

_"Break up with the weasel, did you?" Draco asked, a hint of mirth in his aristocratic voice. Hermione nodded. "Can't say I'm surprised," he continued when she shot him a wide eyed look._

_"Why?" she asked quietly, her voice just above a whisper._  
><em>Draco leaned in closer. "You're too smart for him," he replied. "I was sure you would have seen that years ago. Well, better late than never, I always say."<em>

_"You always say that?" Hermione remarked, quirking an eyebrow._

_He returned the look, letting his characteristic smirk settle upon his lips. "Well, when it seems appropriate," he amended. Seeming to accept his answer, he watched as Hermione went back to her drinking, consuming the beverage in one, quick sip. "Please tell me you're not planning to Apparate home."_

_The glass settled down on the bar top with a loud clang. "I have nowhere to go," she realized. The horror that struck was delayed. How had she not thought of a place to sleep for the night before she decided to get good and drunk? She signalled to Tom, begging for a room, but none were available._

_"I have a room here. It's yours if you want it," he offered, draining the last of his drink. "I guess I could just go home." He ordered another drink for the both of them and sighed._

_"Didn't you get married?" she asked, her panic mollified by his offer of the room._

_Draco shook his head derisively. "I was supposed to, but I didn't go through with it," he replied, offering her nothing more. But Hermione pressed on, her need for information getting the better of her even in her recent state. "We didn't love each other. It was arranged by our parents years ago without either one of us knowing about it."_

_Hermione snorted over her drink. "I wouldn't take you for someone who wants to marry for love," she commented, finding it hard to look away from her former childhood nemesis._

_He shrugged his shoulders, taking another sip for courage. "Haven't had a lot of love in my life," he muttered. "Perhaps I just wanted to try something new."_

_Without realizing she'd done it, Hermione rested a comforting hand over his own. Her thumb traced soft lines over the skin. No words were exchanged, but the simple gesture told him she understood._

_"I don't think I was ever truly in love with Ron," she told him. "He said one nice thing about house elves, and the next thing I knew, I just had to kiss him. It was," she sighed heavily," expected of us to be together after that. I remember waking up one morning hoping that would be the day that I would love him. It never came though."_

_Looking up from where their hands met to her eyes, he smirked. "So, if I say something nice about house elves, you're going to kiss me?"_

_Her hand pulled back, and for a moment Draco feared she was going to slap him. But she merely let her hands fall to her lap and averted her gaze. "Do you...do you want me to?" she asked, uncertainty mumbling her words._

_He leaned forward, their knees brushing, and cupped her cheek. Draco waited until she looked at him once more before closing his eyes. Their lips met, a soft caress, before he pulled back expectantly._

_"You didn't say anything nice about the elves," she reminded him._

_Breathing a sigh of relief that her wand was not trained on him, he allowed his smirk to soften into a genuine smile. "I always really liked Dobby," he murmured. Before he could say anything more, Hermione kissed him, deepening the kiss before he could protest._

_"Let's go to your room," she suggested, breathing heavily. They finished their drinks, Draco slapped a few coins onto the bar, and then they made their way upstairs. _


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks so much for all the positive feedback on chapter 1! I'm trying to get the chapters posted more frequently as work is about to get a bit busier for me in the coming weeks. I promise I won't be going MIA any time soon, though!

So, so, so sorry about this! I had the past part of the story italicized, and then it didn't stay that way when I posted. Here's the fixed chapter.

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

The test was positive. She was twenty-two, pregnant, and alone. And worst of all, she knew it was Draco's baby. Two choices came to mind - tell Draco and hope for the best, or tell Ron it was his and get back together. There was a third, less appealing option - tell neither it was theirs and raise the baby on her own. She had the money, it wouldn't be financially impossible. But it would be lonely and more hard work than she thought herself ready for.

Hermione wondered if she could bear to spend the rest of her life with Draco a part of it. He had said it himself, he wanted to be able to love, but would he be able to love his halfblood consequence of a drunken one night stand? Draco had hardly been as drunk as she had been that night. Perhaps he would welcome his child with open arms.

Resting a hand over her still flat stomach she floo'd to the Burrow for her first Sunday brunch since her break up. It had been six weeks, and she already felt like a different person. No better, no worse, just different.

"So, Weasley propose to you again?" Draco asked, keeping the bottle poised above Liam's lips.

"Once a week for the last sixteen months," Hermione muttered as flipped pancakes.

Rising from his chair, Draco shifted Liam to his shoulder and rubbed his back. He paced slowly around the kitchen until he reached the stove. Kissing her cheek, he replied, "You could just stop going to these brunches and dinners and Quidditch matches and the 'oh look, Vicky just sneezed. Let's have a party!' parties."

"That last one only happened once," Hermione stated, plating the stack of pancakes. "Now, put him in the high chair so you can eat."

They ate in a companionable silence, both thoroughly entranced by a giggling, bouncing Liam. Draco fed him small bites of pancake while Hermione smiled.

"Why don't you ever take me to these Weasley family gatherings?" Draco wondered, wiping the remains of his breakfast from Liam's face.

It was a question that had come up before, though never asked by Draco. Molly Weasley, the family matriarch and a woman who had become a second mother to the young witch, had asked each week when Draco would be joining them. Her usual, go-to excuse was that he was working, but she always felt Molly saw through that.

"It's...we're...you and I aren't," she stopped to take a deep breath. "It's complicated," she finally said as she cleared the breakfast dishes from the table.

Liam was in his arms once more. "Look, I know I'm not their favorite person. Hell, half the time, I'm not your favorite person," he said, leaning against the counter. Hermione turned and reached up to wipe the thin line of clear drool from his sweater. "But, in our own, weird way, we're a family."

_Hermione stood outside the Burrow working up the nerve to enter. She didn't have much of a choice as the door opened before she could make her getaway._

_"Mione!" George Weasley greeted her joyously. "So long since we've seen you. I've missed you these last few weeks. No one keeps our ickle Ronniekins in line quite like you. He's been a right git lately." He pulled her into a tight hug and led her inside._

_The entire Weasley family, immediate and extended, was congregated in the living room. Several faces cast sympathetic looks to the newly arrived witch, while others (Ron) could not be bothered to face her. Molly greeted her with a warm, loving hug, but pulled back quickly. The look in her bright blue eyes told Hermione that she knew something was amiss._

_It wasn't until much later, after the plates had been cleared and most of the family filtered back to the living room or outside for a game of Quidditch, that Ron and Hermione finally spoke._

_"You seem different," Ron stated, finishing off his second piece of blueberry pie._

_Hermione nodded and pushed her untouched dessert towards him. "I am," she agreed. "Ron, I'm pregnant. I wanted you to hear it from me before anyone else told you."_

_His fork clattered to the table as he looked at her. Blue eyes roved her small frame, looking for the telltale signs of pregnancy. But there were none. Yet._

_"We have to get married," he decided hurriedly. "We'll find a new flat, one big enough for three of us. I've got enough money coming in between George's store and the Ministry, so there's nothing to worry about there. How long?"_

_"Six weeks," she replied quietly, hoping he wouldn't do the math. His face turned red with the exertion of counting back to the last time they had been intimate. She placed a hand on his arm to stop him. "I, um, slept with someone else."_

_The wooden chair scraped harshly across the floor as Ron stood. "Who?" he demanded._

_Hermione shook her head. "It doesn't matter," she replied. "I don't intend to tell him."_

_Ron slumped back down in his chair and pushed the dessert plates away; his appetite was gone. Sighing, he took hold of her hand. "I'll marry you," he said with little enthusiasm. "If that's what you want."_

_Jerking her hand away, she said, "It's not."_

"You actually want to go to the Burrow?" Hermione asked for confirmation's sake. "You want to sit and eat with the Weasleys? Talk to the Weasleys? Make nice with the Weasleys?"

Pushing away from the counter, Draco buckled Liam into his swing and moved back beside her. He began drying the dishes she placed on the other side. He didn't want to spend his Sunday surrounded by the loud, ever-breeding, ginger family. What he wanted was to see his son, and he would make whatever sacrifices necessary to ensure that. "Yes," he said in lieu of a long winded explanation.

Shutting off the water, Hermione turned to him and smiled. "You continue to amaze me daily."


	3. Chapter 3

Again, I apologize for the formatting snafu on the last chapter. Everything is as it should be this time around. Also, fingers crossed that Target hasn't sold out of the Deathly Hallows DVD, which released today in the US! It's what I'll be spending my weekend doing.

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><p>Chapter 3<br>The Burrow was a lively, misshapen home, but to Draco, it was more terrifying than entering Malfoy Manor. He kept Liam closely pressed to his chest as the wind whipped up in front of the Weasley family's home. Hermione had laughed earlier when he said he wouldn't let go of the baby for anything. He was smart enough to know that no one would dare attack a man holding a baby.

Hermione let them in through the front door, only to find the sitting room empty. Hope sprung up in Draco's chest; perhaps brunch was cancelled. "They're probably outside," Hermione mused, crossing to the kitchen.

"Or they heard I was coming and are hiding," he suggested.

_Hermione paced in front of a tall, brick apartment building, trying to summon the courage to talk to him. She knew Draco lived here, he'd told her so as they talked between shags. He hadn't expected her to need the address, but now she was there. The front door opened, and before she could talk herself into leaving, she stepped through after the departing resident. The lift took her to the ninth floor. It was just a matter of finding flat number 964._

_Hermione took her time, but eventually her feet led her to her destination. Fate was playing a twisted game with her, Hermione decided. Before she could knock, the front door of the flat opened. Draco stepped out with his back to her so he could lock the door behind him. He turned around and gasped at the sight of her, startled by her sudden presence._

_"Get caught in the rain?" he asked her when his heart beat slowed enough that he no longer heard it pounding in his ears. Looking down at her rain sodden coat, Hermione nodded. "Just fancied a walk in the downpour, or was there something you needed?"_

_"Could we go inside?" she asked quietly._

They reached the backyard. A long table was set up on the patio, and Mrs. Weasley was taking her time to set out brunch. Further down, brooms glided overhead as the Weasley children and some of their significant others played a rousing game of Quidditch.

"Oh good, you're here," Mrs. Weasley greeted them when she looked up from her table. A wide stretched smile was on her face as she hugged Hermione. The smile remained when her sights landed on Draco. "It's good of you to come," she told him, stroking the back of Liam's head.

"Thanks," he replied, tightening his grip on his son.

"Well, the game should be over soon, and then we can all sit down to eat," she told them before walking away.

Hermione led them to the edge of the field to watch the end of the game. Draco turned Liam around and they laughed loudly at his delighted squeals. "Like father, like son," Hermione muttered, though her grin remained.

Draco's, however, faltered when Harry caught the snitch. "What do you think they'll say when they see me?" he wondered, watching as the brooms lowered nearer and nearer to the ground.

Hermione turned around and walked over to the table. "Oh, you know, probably something along the lines of 'Great to have you here, Malfoy!' or 'You should have stopped around much, much sooner!'" she replied. "Unless you're talking to Ron."

After strapping Liam into his high chair, Draco took a seat beside her. "Oh, and what will he say?" the blonde wondered.

Hermione smiled at him before looking away to the crowd nearing. "Thanks for knocking up my girlfriend and ruining any shot we had of getting back together," she guessed.

_Draco unlocked the door and ushered Hermione inside. He set about starting a fire to warm her while she looked around his flat. It was much too large and grand to fit into the building. It was split level, with a spiraling staircase that led to a second floor loft. Bookcases lined the walls of the sitting room, and she itched to touch each and every spine._

_When he was finished with the fire, Draco moved over to the distracted witch and removed her coat. Taking her hand, he led her to the couch to sit._

_"What's on your mind?" he asked softly._

_Hermione turned to face him, but looked past him to the wall behind. It was too hard to tell him the news if she looked him in the eye. Taking a deep breath, she told him, "I'm pregnant." Her hands fidgeted nervously in her lap, and she moved them under her thighs to steady the shaking appendages._

_"Mine?" he asked, his voice hoarse. Hermione nodded, still unable to meet his gaze. The cushions shifted as he stood up and began pacing the room. "What do we do? What do you want to do?"_

_Surprised that he wasn't reacting at all like she expected, she looked up. Tears glistened in her eyes as she considered his questions. But before she could answer, her stomach began to turn. "Loo?" she asked, clamping her hand over her mouth._

_Draco pointed down the hall and followed as she ran ahead of him. She was kneeling on the floor when he joined her. One hand held back her hair while the other steadied her in place. Draco gathered back her hair for her as she finished. He let the brown curls go and filled a cup with water._

_"Thanks," she muttered, sitting with her back against the wall. Draco took a seat on the edge of the bathtub and nodded. He watched as she took delicate sips, remaining silent as the wave of nausea passed._

_"Hermione?" he said softly. She turned to look at him, wiping the leftover moisture from her eyes. "I don't know what your plans are, but if you keep the baby, I want to be a part of its life."_

"What's he doing here?" Ron demanded, reaching the table first.

"Hello, Ronald. Nice to see you. What a lovely spread your mother set out today," she greeted him facetiously.

George was the next to reach the table. He flashed a mischievous smile at the pair. "Freshen your drink for you there, Malfoy?" he inquired as innocently as George Weasley could. "Mum makes her own pumpkin juice, you know."

"Don't take it," Hermione warned, glowering at the twin. For the time being, George backed off and took a seat on Hermione's other side. Underneath the table, Hermione took hold of Draco's hand, giving it a squeeze to show her support. The rest of the family began to sit down; Harry and Ginny brought up the rear. Conversations were begun as everyone helped themselves to the spread. Sitting across from Draco, Ron glared daggers at the blonde while he ate. It wasn't until Hermione shot him a warning glare that Ron looked away.

Draco distracted himself by feeding Liam, and when the meal was over, he took his son inside to wash up. He heard footsteps behind him when he reached the bathroom, and assumed them to be Hermione's. But when he turned to greet her found it was Harry Potter following him.

"Hermione asked me to be nice and ask you to join our game," he mumbled, kicking at imaginary dust with the toe of his shoe.

Draco scoffed at his less than amiable offer and turned on the faucet. He said nothing as he rinsed a cloth in warm water and began to wipe off Liam's hands and face. A frown formed on his lips when he caught the happy smile his son gave the raven haired man behind him.

"Come on, Malfoy, before Hermione beats me up. Just say you'll play with us," Harry continued, just short of begging.

A smile briefly flitted across his face. Draco would give his entire Gringott's vault to watch Hermione take down The Boy Who Lived. "Maybe some other time," he said instead.

Harry grinned devilishly. "I'm holding you to that," he warned. "Besides, now that you've been here, Molly's going to make your presence mandatory."

"Joy," the blonde muttered as he shut off the bathroom light and rejoined the group.


	4. Chapter 4

So, I had every intention of posting this yesterday, but got too swept up with work. I swear I've done so much math today that it's giving me flashbacks to the 4th grade. We were learning double digit multiplication, and the teacher called me to the board to solve a problem. Math has never been my thing, so of course I couldn't solve it. Teacher got mad (way to encourage!) and I cried. Like sobbed like a little little girl...because I was a little little girl. Anyhow, this project is seconds away from turning me back into that little little girl, so I'm giving myself a distraction.

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><p>Chapter 4<br>Hermione glanced back at the house, wondering what was taking Draco so long. Ron stood in front of her, but she ignored the words he spoke. At least until he said something that truly got under her skin.

"You don't even like the git," Ron whined. "You're only putting up with him because he's Liam's father. And forgive me for saying, but it's not like there's ever been any proof of that. All I'm saying, Mione, is we belong together, have since the beginning of time. Why won't you marry me?"

_"Do you think we should get married?" Draco asked, pouring her a cup of tea. They were seated at his kitchen table, the kettle between them, and neither able to make eye contact with the other._

_Hermione grimaced at the thought. "No," she replied simply. A small sound passed Draco's lips as he tried to protest, but she held up a hand to silence him. "We don't like each other. We got drunk and made a mistake. Not that I'm saying this baby is a mistake, but we were careless. It's not fair to either of us to get married when it's not what either one of us truly wants. I know you purebloods were raised with this sense of duty, but believe me, you don't have to."_

_He agreed that he didn't want to marry, but a part of Draco feared that by not being married she could take their child away from him. It wouldn't be an option, and he knew she wasn't the type who would keep him from their baby, but he needed it to be known. There was a distinct look of fear in his gray eyes as he voiced his concern._

_"I don't want to keep you away," she said, reaching across the table to cover his hand with her own. "I half expected you to chuck me out the second I got the words out of my mouth, but you didn't. I want you to be a part of this child's life. Hell, I need you to because I'm terrified of doing this all on my own."_

_Smiling softly, Draco leaned back in his chair. "What if we moved in together?" he suggested. "Think we'd kill each other within a week?"_

_Hermione laughed. "Probably," she agreed. Sobering just slightly, she continued. "Perhaps we should get to know each other better before taking any more, life altering steps."_

"Ron, for the last time, I'm not going to marry you," Hermione stated tersely. "Please, stop asking."

The tips of Ron's ears were beginning to redden, a sure sign that he was angry. He glanced over her head to see Draco emerge from the house. "I thought you loved me," he replied. "I thought _you_ wanted to marry _me_."

"Yes, and things have changed," Hermione cried exasperatedly. "_You_ broke up with _me_ when I said I wanted to get married, remember? Whatever relationship I have with Draco now is none of your business."

A hand gently touched her shoulder as Ron's temper grew more heated. Startled, Hermione spun around to find Draco behind her. She relaxed upon seeing him, but tensed once more when she noticed the look in his gray eyes. It was a look she had been familiar with as a teenager, one that he got whenever he was ready to curse someone.

"You're not doing this," she murmured, resting her hand on his side. His hand twitched as if preparing to reach for his wand. "Draco, where's Liam? I think we should go."

Draco stepped around her, anger seething from within. He now stood so close to Ron that with just one more step their noses might touch. Hermione tugged on his hand, trying with all her might to stop the fight before it could begin.

"What's the matter, weasel? Can't handle the possibility that she's with someone else now?" Draco taunted. "It's only when you've lost her to someone else that you want her? How many different ways does she have to tell you that she doesn't want you?"

Ron scoffed. "What, ferret, you think she wants you?" he spat. "Did you know she wasn't even going to tell you he was yours?"

The glare Draco shot the redhead as he dropped Hermione's hand produced a small smirk to form on Ron's face. "My guess was she never wanted you around," he continued. "Can't say I blame her. I would have gone it alone too if you were involved."

Draco said nothing. He could feel his wand just in reach. A few more centimeters and he could pull it out of his sleeve. He'd hex Ron into next week if he had to. But he didn't. From the corner of his eye, he could see the pleading look on Hermione's face, a look that begged him to stop and just leave with her. But he didn't do that either. It wasn't until Hermione turned and left for the house that he finally spoke.

"You go anywhere near her and I'll kill you," he threatened with a menacing growl. "You touch my son and you'll wish you were never born. That's my family, and I will see to it that you have no part of it."

A small crowd had begun to form around them, but Draco paid them no attention. His sole focus was on getting back to Hermione and Liam, and going home. Turning on his heel, he began the walk back to the house.

"She'll never love you like she loves me," Ron called out. "You were just some random bloke in a bar who bought her a few drinks. Got her nice and pissed, did you, Malfoy? That's the only reason she would ever dare to shag you. I bet she's regretted it ever since."

All Draco saw at that moment was red, and it had nothing to do with the signature Weasley hair. He marched back to Ron, cocked his fist, and hit the redhead square in the nose. Ron let out a distressed cry as blood dripped down to his lips. Satisfied that he had effectively silenced Ron Weasley, Draco went back to the house.

"That was low, Ron, even for you," he heard Harry say before running to catch up with him. "Hey, Malfoy!" he called.

"Sod off, Potter," Draco muttered. He glanced down at the hand on his arm that halted his retreat. "Let go. Before you end up like your friend."

Harry shook his head, a stern look of determination in his eyes. "What Ron said, none of it is true."

Draco shook the hand free and continued on. "Whatever," he grumbled.

"Hermione's just left," Mrs. Weasley informed him as he looked around the kitchen and living room. He walked to the fireplace near the back door and grabbed a handful of floo powder. Before he could leave, Molly rested a hand of his cheek. "Don't you believe a word of what my son said. I always thought that girl would be a permanent member of this family, but things don't always work out the way I want. I know you take good care of her and that sweet little boy."

Shifting from foot to foot, his gaze diverted, he replied, "I'm not sorry I hit him."

"I'm not either," Molly confided with an easy smile. "I hope to see you again soon."

"Thank you," he said sincerely before dropping the powder and calling out his destination.

_"Do your friends know yet?" he asked._

_Hermione nodded. "Ronald offered to make me an honest woman," she told him angrily. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you first. I wasn't sure if..."_

_"You don't owe me any explanations," he absolved her. "It's not like I didn't know it was you that night. I knew what I was doing."_

_Fiddling with the handle of the tea cup, Hermione asked, "Are you at all scared? About becoming a parent, I mean."_

_Draco chuckled. "Absolutely terrified."_


	5. Chapter 5

Today I wrote the epilogue...instead of doing real work. I did sit through an hour long meeting about paper. I told my coworker that I'm going to start recommending e-readers because of it. Although, if I did that and people listened, I'd have no job. I'd have to move back in with my parents. The shoe shopping would have to stop. So, I guess the point I'm trying to make is don't buy an e-reader, and if you have one don't tell me about it.

I will give you this one teeny-tiny bit of info on the epilogue though - in my head, Liam kind of reminds me of a blonde George Craig from One Night Only.

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><p>Chapter 5<br>Draco stepped out of the fireplace and wiped the soot from his clothes. "Hermione?" he called out. When she didn't answer, he said her name again and again as panic rose in his voice. "Hermione?"

The bedroom door opened and Hermione stepped out, glowering at him. "Could you stop shouting? Liam's just gone down for a nap," she replied. He whispered an apology and escorted her over to the sofa. "Why is your hand red?" she asked disinterestedly.

Examining his knuckles, Draco cursed under his breath. He wondered if she saw what happened and was waiting for him to lie. Instead, he told her the truth. "I'm sorry," he finished.

Hermione took his hand, skimming her fingers across his reddened skin. "Molly liked you," she said, feeling the need to discuss anything but Ron. "Most of the family didn't seem to mind you, either."

Draco nodded, using his free hand to push back his blonde fringe. "She told me I'm welcome back anytime," he replied with a derisive snort.

"Even though you punched her son?" she asked, cracking a small smile. With a chuckle, he nodded again. Shifting so her legs rested on the couch, Hermione leaned her head against his shoulder. "I don't regret it."

Looking down at her with wide eyes, he asked, "How much of that conversation did you hear?"

She had been standing near the kitchen door when the fight took place. Every word, every look that passed between the two men could be heard and seen by the witches inside. It was as he was stalking back toward the house, just before Harry stopped him, that she left.

"Ron sometimes doesn't think about what he says," she concluded. "There's something about being told that someone doesn't want to be with you anymore that sort of nudges you along to falling out of love. At least, that's how it felt for me."

Draco wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her close to his side. He offered no response, but let her words sink in.

_He had just finished helping her move her possessions into a bigger flat, wondering if he should again broach the subject of moving in together. Years of animosity had been set aside by the events of one single evening. The boy she knew from her school days was gone, and in his place was a man hoping for a second chance. There had been a brief moment, right after she broke the news, that he wished he hadn't been too buzzed to cast a contraceptive charm. It was a scary feeling to be bound to a person such as Hermione Granger for the rest of his life._

_And yet, there was nowhere and with no one else that he wanted to be._

_"So, that was the last box," he announced, leaning against the door jamb of the bedroom door. Her back was to him as she arranged her clothes in the dresser drawers. She turned briefly and thanked him before taking up her task once more. "I can stay and help you unpack," he offered, noticing for the first time that she was unpacking delicates._

_"It's fine, Draco," she replied dismissively. "I can handle the rest. Thank you for doing the heavy lifting though."_

_He wouldn't take her words as a goodbye though. Instead he moved further into the bedroom and took a seat on the edge of her bed. "I know I've asked this before, but don't you think, maybe, we should live together?" he wondered._

_Sighing, she shut the drawer and turned to him. "The baby won't be here for another five months," she pointed out. "Maybe after that we can discuss it again."_

_"But shouldn't someone be with you? What if something happens to you?" he asked irately._

_Hermione rolled her eyes. "Ginny's already threatened to be here all the time," she told him, though she didn't sound any happier than he did. "She keeps spouting off rubbish about wanting to know what she should prepare for. Harry hasn't even proposed to her yet!"_

_Draco laughed at her hormone-induced rage. Truth be told, he knew he shouldn't have as he didn't want to be her next target._

"Do you think you'll ever fall in love?" Hermione asked him, entwining their fingers. She always enjoyed those few and far between moments of intimacy with him.

Draco shrugged, disrupting her head from its place on his shoulder. "Does loving Liam count?" he asked. "Because I have never in my life loved anyone as much as I love him."

There was no disagreeing with that sentiment, but Hermione wanted to know more. "I meant with a woman," she clarified. "Do you think you'll ever fall in love? Or want to get married for some other reason than getting a girl pregnant?"

A blonde eyebrow piqued as he pulled away just enough to gauge Hermione's reaction to his next words. "Is this your way of telling me that you love me?" he inquired, tightening his grip on her hand as she attempted to pull it away.

"What? I...no...I," she sputtered. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself. "I love you for giving me Liam, but beyond that..." She rose from the couch, effectively breaking their contact.

Draco followed her to the armchair across from where they previously sat. A laundry basket of clean clothes sat on the chair, and Hermione began to fold them. His hands rested on her hips, his lips mere centimeters from her ear. "Me thinks thou dost protest too much," he breathed, sending a shiver down the witch's spine.

She moved her head away from his mouth as he placed small kisses from her temple to her neck. "Me thinks thou hast read Shakespeare too much," she retorted, shoving his hands away from her sides.

"I'm not going to admit it first," he warned her, moving his hands to her arms.

Hermione turned to face him, a mischievous smile on her face. She wound her arms around his neck, drawing him nearer until her lips were by his ear. "I think you just did," she murmured before releasing him.


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, I'm sneaking in a bit of down time to post this chapter. Fridays should never be this busy!

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><p>Chapter 6<br>_Rain poured down, beating against her bedroom window. The street lamp just outside flickered, casting light as Hermione tried to sleep. Rolling onto her side, she pressed her pillow over her head to block out the light and noise. Her back began to ache from the new position. With a frustrated groan, she pushed herself out of bed and padded to the living room. Turning on a lamp, she sunk down onto the couch and tried to make herself comfortable._

_It was always on rainy nights that Hermione wished she had company. Memories of her year on the run with Harry and Ron floated through her mind. It was a year spent fearing each day would be her last. And it almost had been when they were captured by Snatchers. Her body began to shake as memories of Malfoy Manor played behind her eyes._

_She hadn't even been aware that her eyes had closed until she could see Bellatrix Lestrange standing over her, wand pointed at her chest as she screamed. Snapping open her eyes, Hermione dug around in the end table for the coin she had charmed to communicate with Draco._

_Come over, she messaged him._

_Ten minutes later, Draco stepped out of her fireplace. His hair was mussed and there was a red indentation on his cheek from being pressed against the edge of his pillow. "What happened?" he asked, his gray eyes wild as he assessed her tear streaked face._

_Hermione jumped up from the couch and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I couldn't sleep," she murmured, pressing her face against his neck. Stifling a yawn, he held her close. "Can you stay tonight? Please, just this once?" she asked._

_"Yeah, I'll stay," he told her._

_"I mean, you can leave after I fall asleep if you want," she amended. "I'm just...so tired."_

_With a soft chuckle, he led her to the master bedroom. "Granger, stop," he murmured. "I said I'd stay."_

_Hermione sat down on the side of the bed and yawned. "Did you? I'm sorry," she replied, her eyes heavy with unrequited sleep. "Merlin, I feel like I could sleep for a week."_

_Draco helped her lie down and pulled the comforter over her. "Then do it," he whispered as her eyes closed once more. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, smoothed back her hair, and stepped away from the bed._

_Her eyes snapped opened as he opened the bedroom door. "Where are you going?" she asked anxiously._

_"Just getting some water," he assured her. Hermione seemed to relax knowing he would come back. Draco made his way to the kitchen and filled a glass with tap water. He wondered briefly if this would be his life from now on._

It was later that night. Long after they'd eaten dinner, given Liam his bath, and put him to bed. Draco stood near the fireplace, stalling going back to his own flat. "So, I've been thinking," he started, "about us moving in together."

Hermione looked up from her book and set it aside. It was a topic that came up often when she was pregnant and just after Liam's birth. But months had gone by as the pair developed a routine that seemed to work well for both of them. "What happened to we'd kill each other?" she joked.

"I thought we were passed that," he replied, not in the slightest bit amused. "I want to be around more. It's not fair that I don't get to see Liam as often as you do. Hell, the Weasleys see more of him than I do."

"The amount of time you spend with him has nothing to do with where you live. I've never kept you from seeing your son," Hermione stated, feeling her ire rise. "Don't blame me because you work ridiculous hours."

Draco's hands clenched at his sides as his temper flared. Anger and arguments would get him nowhere. Taking several calming breaths and counting to ten, he tried for a different tactic. His eyes softened and his sneer turned into more of a frown. "Why would it be so terrible if we lived together?" he wondered, regulating his tone to sound less irate and more hurt. He let his head fall as if gravity would no longer hold it up right. "I hate leaving."

Shocked, but still a bit wary of his sudden change in behavior, Hermione remained quiet. She rose from the sofa and made her way to him. "I know," she said softly. "I see it in your eyes every time you step into the floo. But you still always leave."

He moved his hand to rest on the side of her neck, his thumb sweeping traces over the soft skin. "I want to stay," he murmured.

Hermione rose to the balls of her feet and ghosted her lips across his stubble covered cheek. "Then stay," he told him.

Draco shook his head and gently pushed her away. He had to make her understand that it was the best thing for all three of them. She looked up at him with hurt, sad eyes and took hold of his left forearm. "I don't want to stay the night and leave again tomorrow. I want this stay to be permanent," he explained. Shaking her hand free, Draco moved to the sofa and sat down in the same place Hermione had occupied just moments earlier. Elbows resting on his knees, he dropped his head into his hands and pushed them through his soft blonde locks. "Did I ever tell you that my father missed my first words, first steps? Hell, he missed my first birthday because the Dark Lord had work for him to do. I'm not even sure he was there for my birth."

As he spoke, Hermione sat beside him. Her hand absentmindedly massaged his neck as she listened to his sad tale.

"He wanted me to be him," Draco continued. "He wanted me to be the good little follower who did You Know Who's bidding. For my fifth birthday, he gave me my first tome on the dark arts. Because every five year old wants to know how to cast an Unforgivable. I remember I wanted a broomstick that year, but my father believed the book would be more practical.

"The point I'm trying to make is that I don't want to be like Lucius," he concluded. "I don't want my son to see me as someone he's supposed to fear. I need him to know that I love him enough to want to be here to witness every little thing he does."

Nestling closer to his side, Hermione rested her head against his shoulder. "Can you promise me something?" she asked, glancing up at him. Draco furrowed his brows, but gave an indication that she should continue. "Don't ever give Liam any books about dark magic. Ever."

He laughed quietly. "If I means we're moving in together, then I swear on Dumbledore's grave that I won't ever try to turn him into a Death Eater."


	7. Chapter 7

I had such grand intentions of posting this chapter yesterday, but then a migraine decided it wanted to join the party. Migraines are that guest you didn't invite who overstays his welcome, spills something on the carpet, and eats all the good chips. But I'm feeling better today, so I had no excuse not to post. I really like this chapter, and hopefully you all do too!

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><p>Chapter 7<br>Three days later, his belongings were moved in. Each morning, he made sure to be the first one awake so he could spend some alone time with Liam. Checking that Hermione still slumbered beside him, he slowly got out of bed and shut the door behind him. The nursery was just next door to the master bedroom, and Liam was already awake in his crib.

"Hey there, buddy," Draco cooed, leaning over the bar to pull Liam out. Liam revealed two small teeth as he smiled up at his father who began to change his nappy. He voiced his displeasure with a cry when the cool air of the room hit his bare bottom. "I know, I know," Draco soothed. "It'll be over soon, and then we'll have breakfast." After he set a fresh diaper in place, Draco dressed him for the day and carried him to the kitchen. Liam was fastened into his high chair and began to bang noisily on the plastic tray top as Draco prepared his bottle and a small bowl of rice cereal.

"Oh, you're up," Hermione greeted them sleepily. Her curls were tangled, her robe untied, and her right hand was balled into a fist to rub the tiredness from her brown eyes. She moved first to Liam and kissed his head as she smoothed down his fine blonde hair. Then she moved to Draco who stood by the sink, running the tap. "Morning," she greeted him with a kiss.

"No," Liam said, giggling as he continued to bang on the tray.

Their heads jerked to look at him simultaneously. "Yep, he's a Malfoy. First word is no," Hermione commented, though a smile brightened her tired face.

Draco turned off the water and smirked. "Could have been worse," he teased. "It could have been that three letter word you're so fond of calling me." He took a seat beside the high chair and began to spoon feed Liam.

"Git," Hermione mumbled as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

_The baby shower had entirely been Ginny's idea; inviting Harry and Ron had not been. Hermione groaned when she entered the Burrow's living room and found her two friends seated near the sofa. She was six months pregnant and in no mood to deal with either of them. Or any man, for that matter. The better part of the morning had been spent arguing with Malfoy about his presence at the shower. In the end, he won and Hermione went on her own._

_"So, no ferret again today?" Ron asked, lazily leaning against the arm of his chair. "Too afraid to face us?"_

_"Because you _wouldn't_ have started trouble if he came?" Hermione inquired, one eyebrow raising sardonically._

_"You don't have to stay with him, you know," Ron stated, ignoring her question. Harry rolled his eyes at his friend, sending Ron a look that told him to shut up. "My offer is still on the table."_

_Hermione looked to Harry for help, but he seemed more intent on staying out of their latest battle. "He's the father, Ron," she replied, feeling as if it were the one thousandth time she'd mentioned it to him. "He's always going to be in my life. He wants to be there."_

_"Yeah, in the _baby's_ life, not yours," he countered. "You should get to be happy too."_

_Hermione scoffed. "And you think I'd be happy with you?" she inquired, laughing._

_"Please make them stop," she heard Harry mutter, looking up towards the ceiling as if he were praying. She shot him a smile and made herself more comfortable on the sofa._

_"We're not discussing this anymore," she declared, hearing Harry breathe a sigh of relief._

_The baby shower went off seemingly well after that. Ginny declared it women only, forcing Ron and Harry to leave. Once the cake was cut and the gifts opened, she floo'd to Draco's penthouse exhausted and her back hurting._

_"So much stuff," she mumbled, sinking down onto the couch._

_Draco stuck his head around the wall after exiting the bathroom. He wore only a pair of jeans and his wet hair was tousled. "Oh, hi," he greeted her. "Did I know you were coming over?" he asked as he pulled onto a t-shirt._

_"Harry and George are bringing all the gifts to my flat," she sighed. "I didn't want to deal with it just yet."_

_He took a seat beside her, gently rubbing his hand over her growing stomach. A small pulsing moved against his hand. Draco's eyes widened with questioning and excitement. "Did he...was that a kick?" he asked, moving his hand to follow the baby's foot._

_"First time," she replied with just as much enthusiasm._

_Draco leaned over and kissed her joyously. "Sorry," he said when he pulled away._

_Her cheeks were red as she placed her hand over his still atop her stomach. "Nothing to be sorry about," she assured him breathlessly._

_"There's something I want to show you," he said, helping her to her feet. Hermione allowed him to lead her to the floo and she stepped out in her flat._

_"You're showing me where I live?" she guessed dubiously. He shook his head, smiling as he led her to the room next to hers. He covered her eyes with his hand and opened the door before leading her inside. He pulled his hand away when they were situated in the center of the room. Hermione gasped at the sight before her. It was a nursery designed in soft blues and greens. A light oak crib was placed against the back wall with a mobile of tiny Quidditch players overhead. A matching rocking chair was next to the window, and across from it was a changing table._

_"This was mine," he said, pointing out a light blue blanket draped over the chair._

_Hermione fingered the blanket. "What if it's a girl?" she wondered._

_Scoffing, Draco refolded the blanket. "He may hit like a Granger, but he's a Malfoy. It's a boy," he declared. "Besides, first borns are always boys in the Malfoy family."_

_She moved over to watch the players on the mobile toss around a quaffle. "Ah, but that was before a Malfoy brought a muggleborn into the fold," she teased. "This could be the first Malfoy girl."_

_Draco stepped behind her, resting his hands on her abdomen. "Just tell me I did a good job and you're happy that I played nice with Potter in planning all of this," he murmured, kissing her temple._

_Turning in his arms, Hermione smiled at him. "This is beautiful," she replied. "Thank you for letting Harry help."_

_"You're welcome," he said, kissing her once more._

"Maybe that'll be his second word," Draco decided. He spooned a small mouthful of cereal into Liam's mouth and smiled. "Might have to stop letting you hang out around Mummy. She's gonna teach you some really bad words."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
>Ginny Weasley watched with rapt attention as Hermione kissed Draco's cheek before retreating to the kitchen to prepare Liam's lunch. She bided her time before anyone would notice that she followed her friend, watching as Draco bounced Liam on his knee. Then she ducked out of the crowded sitting room. Hermione's back was to her when she entered, her greeting startling the older witch.<p>

"You brought Draco again," she observed, smiling wryly.

Hermione whirled around, her hand over her rapidly beating heart. "Yeah, well, Molly said Ron wouldn't be coming." She turned back and finished preparing the small dish of food.

Ginny pulled out a chair and sat down. "So, are you two finally together?" she asked, her excitement at the thought getting the better of her. "I mean it's been over a year. Surely even the two of you can't be taking it that slow."

Hermione merely shrugged and set the bowl down on the table. Ginny watched as she exited the kitchen and returned a minute later with the baby in her arms. Hermione remained silent as she buckled Liam into the chair and sat down beside it, ready to feed her son. Spoonful after spoonful, Hermione merely laughed when he spat it up and turned his head away from the awaiting mouthful. Half of the contents of the bowl were gone before Ginny sighed in annoyance.

"What?" Hermione asked, using his bib to wipe up the peas on Liam's chin.

"Are you going to answer my question?" Ginny inquired impatiently.

Hermione leaned the spoon against the side of the bowl and turned around. "Would you be with someone just because you got pregnant?" Hermione asked.

"No," Liam giggled, grabbing the spoon from the bowl. A glob of mashed pea landed on the sleeve of Hermione's sweater and she laughed, wiping it off. She took the spoon from him and kissed his forehead.

"Why is the nine month old the only one who understands?" Hermione muttered, cleaning up the remains of his lunch.

"But, Hermione," Ginny whined. "You live together, the two of you kiss and hug and touch whenever possible, you've shagged, you had his kid. How are you not together?"

Hermione lifted Liam out of the chair. "We're friends," she replied with a shrug. "I've held hands with Harry, too. I'm not in love with him." She exited the kitchen, leaving Ginny behind.

"I'm so tired of hearing that," the redhead muttered to no one in particular.

_Hermione paced the length of her flat as pain after pain assaulted her. Her ankles swelled, her back ached, and nothing she ate seemed to want to stay down. Just two weeks from her due date, and Hermione felt ready for the whole experience to be over. A contraction hit and she doubled over as best she could due to her size. The coin was in her pocket and she fingered it, wondering if the time was right to contact Draco._

_She shook her head. There was no point in bothering him yet. Not until her water broke, at least, which happened an hour later. He looked harried when he stepped out of the fireplace. Wild, frightened eyes swept the living room, and he panicked when he did not find her there. He called her name, getting no response, until he reached the bedroom._

_Hermione sat at the foot of the bed rocking herself back and forth. She felt a hand on her cheek, then it moved to her shoulder, then it took her hand. She found Draco kneeling in front of her, genuinely worried._

_"What happened?" he asked, trying to remain calm at the site of the frazzled witch._

_"I can't do it," she murmured, and Draco noticed for the first time that she had been crying._

_"Can't do what?" he asked, wiping away her tears._

_"This!" she cried, pointing to her stomach. "I can't have a baby! I'm too young. I'm not ready for this."_

_Draco got to his feet and gingerly helped her up. "If anyone can do this, it's you, Hermione," he assured her, leading her to the living room._

_"Where are we going?" she asked, watching him grab a handful of floo powder. They were going to St. Mungo's, but Hermione protested. "I told you I can't do it. We can't go there."_

_His free hand cupped her cheek as they stood by the mantle. "Just think, when this is all over, we're going to have a baby. And I'm going to be by your side the whole time. You're not doing this alone."_

_Hermione glanced down at the powder in his hand that slowly trickled through his fingers and onto the carpet. "Promise?" she whispered, reaching up for his other hand. Their fingers laced together as he pulled her into the hearth._

_"I swear it," he promised her, dropping the powder and calling out the magic hospital._

"Nappy change, Daddy," Hermione announced, handing over Liam to the still seated Draco.

He got to his feet and grabbed the diaper bag that rested by the side of the sofa. "Why is it always me who has to do this?" he asked, though his smile said he didn't always mind the duty.

"You said you wanted to spend more time with him," Hermione reminded him, flashing her own wicked smile. He walked upstairs muttering something to Liam about being happy that he loved him.

Harry moved to his vacated seat and took Hermione's hand. "I want to talk to you about something," he started, nervous for what he was about to say.

Hermione groaned. "Please, nothing about how I should be in love with Draco by now," she bemoaned.

"No, no, it's nothing to do with him," Harry laughed, letting his eyes fall to her hand. "I wanted to talk to you about Ginny."

Her brown eyes widened with delight. Ginny had been waiting for years for Harry to propose, and now it seemed it would actually happen. But Harry's smile faltered as she waited for him to speak again. "Are you going to do what I think you're going to do?" she asked nervously as if she were the one receiving a proposal.

"I bought the ring about a year ago, but I've chickened out every time," he mumbled as a blush tinged his cheeks a soft red. "What if it's a sign that I'm not supposed to marry her?"

She squeezed his hand gently. "I wouldn't have taken you for someone who believed in signs," she responded. Harry scowled, imploring her to take this seriously. "You and Ginny love each other, Harry. If this is what you really want, then do it."

His free hand pushed through his hair, disheveling the dark locks further. "But I can't," he groaned. "And I do too believe in signs," he added under his breath. Green eyes connected with disbelieving brown in that moment, and he suddenly wished he hadn't said it. Or what he would say next. "Liam's a sign."

"How's that?" Hermione asked, pulling her hand out of his grasp. "Besides, I thought we weren't talking about Draco." It was funny how their conversations always came back around to him.

Harry shook his head as if to tell her to forget he said anything, but Hermione pressed on. "You and Ron were never right for each other." He spoke so quickly, his words ran together. "You meet Malfoy in a pub, get pregnant. All signs that you're supposed to be with him. Even though we always hated him."

Footsteps sounded on the stairs, footsteps Hermione knew to belong to Draco. "Listen, do you want to propose to Ginny or not?" she asked, glancing towards the stairs.

Harry shrugged. "Malfoy thinks it's a good idea."


	9. Chapter 9

I'm not sure I've said this in awhile, but I'm blown away by the response this story has gotten! I'm always very grateful to anyone who takes the time to read my writing. Enjoy the chapter!

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><p>Chapter 9<br>_"Push, baby, push," Draco chanted supportively. His hand was crushed in Hermione's as she bore down in a feeble attempt to extricate the baby from her womb._

_Hermione slumped back against the pillows, out of breath and sweaty. "No, please, can't do it anymore," she complained._

_Draco mopped her brow and squeezed her hand in support. "Just a few more and it'll be over," he murmured. "Come on, Hermione, push."_

_The game had just begun when Ron arrived. Draco was in the air with the other players, and Hermione feared the consequences of Ron's presence._

_"I thought he wasn't coming," Hermione said worriedly as she and Molly finished clearing away the last of the brunch dishes._

_"He said he wasn't, or that he'd be here later," Molly explained, just with as much unease as Hermione. "After you left," she added._

_The bread basket was firmly clutched in the young witch's hands as she watched Ron mount his broom and join the game. Her stare left him briefly to gauge Draco's reaction to the new addition. He sat on his broom beside Harry. The smile that he wore quickly faded when he spotted the youngest Weasley male. His head turned towards Harry, as if saying something that Hermione couldn't make out. She watched Harry's emerald green eyes follow to where Ron sat and a scowl formed on his face. Then the two Seekers took off._

_"Hey, Mione, Liam's crying," Angelina informed her. She stepped out of the house and glanced enviously at the players high above. "Few more months. Just a few more and I can play again," she muttered, rubbing her swollen stomach._

_Shooting the older witch a smile, Hermione made her way into the house._

_She shook her head, closing her eyes. "Too tired," she mumbled, resting her head against his arm. The Mediwitch implored her to continue pushing, and four pushes later, Liam Draco Malfoy entered the world. With an exhausted sigh, Hermione leaned back in the bed._

_"Is the baby okay?" she asked, shutting her eyes for just a minute._

_"He's perfect. You did so great, love," Draco murmured, pushing back sweat soaked curls. The Mediwitch brought the now quiet baby to his parents, depositing him in Draco's arms. "So perfect," Draco said in awe of the life he held._

_"I guess you were right about those first born Malfoys," Hermione said. Draco sat on the edge of the bed, careful of Liam, as he brought him closer to his mother._

It was then that it happened. Playing Beater, Ron smacked away a bludger and lobbed it through the air. Draco and Harry were in a battle of their own for the golden snitch, their backs turned to Ron. A sharp pain stung Draco's back as he drove forward, the small gold ball just out of reach. He couldn't breathe from the force of the hit. Gasping for air, Draco never noticed the way his broom began to veer off course.

Harry caught the snitch, but it wasn't cheers from his teammates that met his ears. Instead it was gasps of horror and a panicked call for Hermione.

She was in the middle of changing Liam's diaper when she heard her name called from the backyard. It was Ginny's panicked cry that she heard first.

"Go, I'll finish this," Fleur told her, pulling Hermione's hands away from the sides of Liam's fresh diaper. Numbly, Hermione passed through the kitchen from the family room, and was ushered outside by Molly.

In the middle of the field lay a figure Hermione couldn't make out as he was surrounded by the family. She surveyed the gathered crowd for that familiar head of blonde hair, but couldn't find him. Her gait increased to a run until she was pushing her way between George and Bill.

"What happened?" she asked, kneeling beside Draco to check him over. His eyes were closed, his breathing shallow, and he was completely unresponsive as she shook him. "Someone tell me now," she demanded when no one spoke. Several sets of eyes darted to Ron, and Hermione followed them.

"He got hit by a bludger," Harry said, angrily glaring at Ron when he didn't answer their distraught friend. He went on to explain what happened as best as he could. "We were just both fighting so hard for the snitch, that I didn't notice at first that he was hurt."

Tears had begun to sting Hermione's eyes as she tried to rouse Draco to no avail. "Can you help me? He's got to get to St. Mungo's," she implored her friend. Harry crossed over to where she knelt, beckoning George forward to help him. The two men lifted Draco as best they could. "Apparate. I'll meet you there." They did as they were told, disappearing in front of her, before she turned to Ron.

"Mione, I swear," he immediately began to defend himself. Her anger bloomed; cheeks reddening, eyes cold and hard, her lips pressed so tightly together that they all but disappeared. Her wand was raised, trained on the man she once loved.

"Give me one good reason I shouldn't hex you right now," she ground out through clenched teeth.

His hands, once raised in surrender, fell to his sides as he head dropped. "I didn't do it on purpose," he explained with sincerity evident in his voice. "I was just hitting it back when he and Harry flew by. I didn't mean for it to hit him."

The wand lowered and Ron breathed a sigh of relief. "If anything is wrong with him, I'm holding you responsible," she threatened. Ginny took hold of her arm and pulled her away. No words were exchanged between the women before they Apparated to the hospital. Harry received them by the lift and led Hermione to the appropriate floor.

"Family only," a Mediwitch interrupted them before she could enter Draco's room.

_"We should probably let people know he's here," Hermione murmured as she fed their son his first meal. "Molly will be over the moon to find out she's got someone new to spoil."_

_Draco traced his finger over the soft skin of Hermione's arm. "What about your parents?" he asked, knowing he shouldn't broach such a subject._

_Hermione shook her head wearily as she moved Liam to her shoulder. "They said they wouldn't be a part of things if I couldn't...conform to their ideals."_

_"My father had somewhat similar sentiments," Draco stated. "My mum seems more open to our situation though. I do, however, think she hopes we'll see the error of our ways and get married."_

"But I'm," she stopped. What was she exactly to Draco? She wasn't much of anything really besides the woman he had gotten pregnant one night almost two years ago.

"Draco's Malfoy's fiancee," Harry finished for her.

Hermione received a disbelieving glance from the Mediwitch, but permitted her to enter the room. She entered the dimly lit room alone and moved to Draco's side. A dark bruise had formed on his forehead, just near his hairline, and his right arm was bandaged from falling such a great height. She wondered if there was any other damage that wasn't visible to the eye. What if he never woke up?

Hermione bit back a sob as his eyelids fluttered open. She grasped his good hand more firmly to let him know she was there.

"Water," he requested, his voice thick and raspy. She let go of his hand long enough to fill a cup and hold it to his lips. When he drank his fill, Draco leaned back, shut his eyes, and sighed. "Remember the last time we were here?" he asked.

_Hermione nodded as a small frown played on her lips. Everyone, Draco included, thought they should be married. It seemed she was the only hold out. "Maybe one day," she replied noncommittally._

_"He looks like me, don't you think?" Draco asked, deciding a change of subject was in order. Hermione nodded in agreement as she smoothed down the wisps of blonde hair. "Nothing of you in there though," he continued. "Are you sure he's even yours, Granger?"_

_Hermione shot him a smile. "No, Draco. Clearly he's been switched with the baby of that other witch you knocked up," she teased._

_"Yeah, but you two are the only ones I want," Draco murmured, kissing her temple._


	10. Chapter 10

It's Monday, it's rainy, and I'm ready for the weekend already. My little brother just finished up the school year, and I will not lie - I'm jealous. Not that I would go back to school, but I do miss the three month summer vacation. Sigh, the good old days. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

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><p>Chapter 10<br>"I want to go home," Draco groused after a day in the hospital. He had been alert and the tests all checked out fine. It had been a concussion that had aided in rendering him unconscious after his fall, but he was lucky to have only a broken wrist and rib, which were easily healed.

"Soon," Hermione murmured, kissing his forehead as she pushed back his fringe.

He shook his head, resettling his hair. "No, now," he complained, reminding Hermione of a petulant four year old. "I miss Liam. I hate him being with the Weasleys."

"You'll be home tomorrow, Vicky...I mean Draco," Hermione retorted with a laugh. He reached for her, but she stepped far enough back that he couldn't. The door opened and in walked the Mediwitch in charge of Draco's case. Hermione was dismissed during the check up, but on her way out, she could have sworn she heard him mutter, "Bloody witch comparing me to a three year old girl."

_Draco pushed opened the front door of Hermione's flat with his shoe as his arms were laden down a plethora of gifts dropped off at the hospital. Hermione cradled Liam close to her chest as she followed just behind him. Bags, shrunken boxes, a baby carrier, and her suitcase were deposited on the floor of the living room as Hermione took a seat on the sofa._

_"I should find that disgusting," Draco commented as Hermione began unbuttoning her top to feed the baby._

_"But you're actually kind of turned on?" Hermione deadpanned. "Or jealous?"_

_Draco crossed to the couch in three easy strides and leaned down over her. "Both," he murmured, pressing his lips softly to hers. It was the first real kiss they had experienced since that fateful night together. Tongues danced a lively waltz until Liam began to fuss. Hermione was the first to pull away, using one hand to rebutton her shirt as Draco took the baby to burp him._

"My mum asked if she could take Liam tomorrow," Draco said as he put the baby to bed that night. "Said she thinks we could do with a night off."

Hermione frowned as she considered the offer. The last time she and Draco had had a night alone, she'd gotten pregnant. "She hasn't been around him much," she said instead. "Do you think she can handle it? Although, the better question would be can you handle a night off? I mean, all that whining at the hospital."

Draco shut the nursery door and followed her to the master bedroom, choosing to ignore her snide remark. He had wondered the same thing when his mother offered only hours earlier when she visited him in the hospital, promising he would mention it to Hermione before giving her a final decision.

It had been a while, two decades in fact, since Narcissa Malfoy had last been around a small child. He shared all of that with her as she gathered her things to shower. "She could be fine though," he concluded. "After all, she did raise me. Or, at least, she hired the nannies who raised me."

"That's encouraging," she muttered, leaving the room. He followed her to the bathroom and sat atop the vanity while she showered. "I worry, that's all," she told him over the sound of the spraying water.

"You wouldn't be you if you didn't," he replied affectionately. No further words were exchanged as she finished her shower. The water shut off and Hermione stuck her arm out from behind the curtain to retrieve her towel. Draco handed it to her and waited for her to step out, wrapped in the warm terrycloth. It was pulled tightly around her small frame as she shivered from the coolness of the water. Hopping off of the counter, Draco rubbed her arms vigorously to dry and warm her.

"We could go to dinner," Hermione realized, her eyes widening with excitement. "Just us. No crying baby, no mismatched place settings like at the Weasleys. It could be quiet. I miss quiet."

Draco chuckled, wrapping his arms around her towel clad form. "We'll still spend the entire time talking about Liam," he pointed out, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was right. "But it would be nice to be able to talk and not have to shout over the din."

_Draco sighed tiredly as he shut the nursery door. Day one of parenting down, a lifetime more to go. The light was on in the room next door. He stuck his head in to check on Hermione, who was more worn out by the day than he was._

_"He's asleep," Draco reported. Hermione didn't shift; her arm remained covering her eyes as she breathed deeply. He stepped further into the room, intent on merely covering her sleeping form with a blanket and shutting off the lights before he went home._

_The blanket had just been spread over her when Hermione stirred. "Will you stay tonight?" she asked, her voice heavy with exhaustion. "I'm just not sure I can do this alone."_

_Sitting down beside her, Draco sighed. He didn't want to rehash old conversations about his living with her. It wasn't the right time for a fight he wouldn't win. "Yeah, I'll stay," he said._

_"Thank you," she replied softly, reaching for his hand as her eyes closed once more. He let her hold onto him as she drifted off to sleep. When he was sure she wouldn't awake, he slipped out of the room. He checked once more to make sure Liam was alright before briefly returning to his flat._

_It had been days since he'd seen his place. Three days spent in the hospital had made him miss his little corner of the world, even if it was lonely. He stuffed a couple days' worth of clothes into a duffel before stopping in front of his nightstand. He knew what was inside, tucked in the front, left hand corner of the drawer._

_The ring had been withdrawn from his Gringott's vault two days after Hermione announced she was pregnant. He would have married her, would have done the honorable thing by her. But Hermione rejected it, wanting instead to marry the man she loved. And that wasn't him._

_Not yet, at least._

"So, we're really doing this? We're going to let your mother babysit?" Hermione asked warily, needing confirmation before she allowed him to give the okay to Narcissa.

Loose granules of floo powder slipped through Draco's fingers. This was his third attempt to place a call to his mother before Hermione interrupted. "It'll be fine," he said again. "Liam will be fine. Mother will be fine. You and I will be fine. The whole evening will be fine."

"Fine, not good?" she asked.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Everything will be good."

"Good, not great?"

"Hermione." His patience was waning.

"Great, not perfect?" she inquired, though this time she wore a smile as she asked.

The powder forgotten, Draco tackled her backwards until she lay on the floor beneath him. There was a hungry look in his eyes as he glared down at her, trying to keep his own smile off of his face.

"What could be more perfect than us being together?" he wondered, his voice soft as he dipped his head to place a trail of kisses along her neck.

"Nothing," she answered honestly.


	11. Chapter 11

So, I had every intention of posting the new story yesterday. And then I got a bit caught up in my brand new refrigerator. It's my first big girl purchase. For five minutes, I stared in awe of it. Gone was the rattling, buzzing, clinking noise of the old one, and I was giddy with joy. Today, I have a little less to look forward to. Two hour meetings are a friend to no one. My boss asked that I take diligent notes during this meeting. She's never met my inner history major. As with filing, I have a freakish love of note taking. Anyhow, the new story should be up tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy this chapter!

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><p>Chapter 11<br>_"Are you sure we should go?" Draco asked, panic in his voice as the question left his lips once more._

_Hermione shook her head, glancing back at Molly as she held a one month old Liam close to her chest. "She's going to resort to using bodily force to make us leave," she muttered in response. "Besides, she raised seven children. I'm sure she can handle Liam for a few hours. We can leave this party early, right?"_

_They were going to the annual Malfoy Inc. fundraiser. She would be spending her evening in the company of Draco's parents, as if she weren't anxious enough. It had taken a significant effort on Narcissa's and Molly's parts to get them out of the house for one night, both women claiming that they needed a break from the daily stress of a newborn._

_"We're definitely coming back early," Draco replied, casting a longing glance at his son. He stepped around her, fully prepared to fight Molly Weasley for his child. Despite her avid refusal to hand him over ("You'll ruin your robes!" she declared) Draco won out. He placed a soft kiss to the baby's forehead as he walked back over to Hermione._

_"Now I really don't want to leave," she lamented, taking hold of Liam's small hand. His fingers curled around her index finger, holding her to him._

He was on his fourth outfit change when Hermione entered the master bedroom. "I'm the one who's supposed to do that," she commented, pointing out the little black dress she wore. "You're such a girl, Malfoy."

As Draco removed his sweater for his fifth option, Hermione lounged on the bed with Liam by her side. He rolled onto his stomach, his eyes settling on Draco as he stared into the mirror. The little boy made delighted sounds as he caught his reflection beside his father's.

"Like father, like son," Hermione laughed, earning a withering glare from Draco. She quickly sobered, setting a more serious look on her face. "When's your mother coming?" she inquired.

"Soon," he replied, pulling on a dark blue button down shirt.

Hermione sighed and laid back on the bed. "Are you sure we should go?" she asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. Her hand absentmindedly stroked Liam's back as he pulled himself up onto his hands and knees. Draco came over to the bed and sat down as the baby crawled to his lap.

"It's been a long time since we've had the chance to spend some time together, just us," he reminded her.

True as that may have been, Hermione still had her reservations about leaving their child in Narcissa's care. She had only seen Liam twice before, once just after he was born and the second time days prior at the hospital. As often as Draco had pointed out that everything would go smoothly, Hermione feared she wouldn't believe it until the night was over.

The sound of the floo activating led the small family to the living room. Narcissa Malfoy, tall, proud, regal, and beautiful, stood near the fireplace dusting herself off.

"Thank you for this," Draco murmured, hugging her softly.

The older witch nodded and stepped away from him to greet Hermione with a kiss on each cheek. "I can't get over how much he looks like Draco," she marvelled, taking Liam from Hermione's arms. "Has his mother's eyes though," she added.

_Malfoy Manor was packed to the gills with guests milling around. Waiters offered passed trays of champagne and hors d'oeuvres, from which Draco immediately partook. In one sip, the glass of champagne was empty._

_"Sorry," he murmured guiltily when he remembered that Hermione was by his side._

_"It's fine. One of us should have some fun of the liquid persuasion," she muttered._

_Draco laughed, taking hold of her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze as his parents approached._

_"So, this is the witch who's been keeping my son so occupied," Lucius Malfoy drawled as his wife tightened her grip on his arm. "The Greengrasses are here, Draco. I'm quite sure they would be interested in speaking with you."_

_Draco winced slightly at the mention of his former fiancee's family, but quickly recovered. "The baby is fine, Father. Thank you for asking," he replied, setting a sneer on his face. Still holding tightly onto Hermione's hand, he led her away. They were in the foyer, away from the party, when Draco heard the clicking of heels behind him. Turning, he came face to face with his mother, who wore a sympathetic smile._

_"Give him time, Draco. Your father will come around," she started, but was immediately cut off by her son._

_"Don't give me that," he snarled. "It'll be another ten years before he forgives me for leaving Astoria, perhaps longer. After all, I'm sure he still hasn't gotten over that time I spilled pumpkin juice on the carpet. What was I, three at the time? And I know he'll never forgive me for being with a muggleborn, not that I care. Now, if you don't mind, we're going home."_

_Hermione remained silent, watching the exchange between mother and son. Narcissa looked pained as her only child yelled just feet from a gathering of the most influential witches and wizards of their world. She tried to stop him as they started to walk away, holding her hand so tightly that it hurt. But he turned his anger on her._

_"Don't you dare defend their actions," he yelled. "Don't even think about defending people who told me we should have gotten rid of our child."_

_Hermione gasped audibly as Narcissa stuttered to defend herself, but again Draco wouldn't hear it. He knew an abortion had been his father's suggestion, as well as adoption after Liam was born. Lucius had gone so far as to attempt to bribe his son into abandoning both mother and son. Narcissa, on the other hand, while not completely supportive of her unwed son's choice not to marry, had seemed rather taken with the idea of being a grandmother._

_"I'm sorry, Draco," Narcissa murmured. "I hope one day you'll at least find it in your heart to forgive me."_

_Draco shrugged and led Hermione to the nearest floo._

"Do you think everything is going okay at home?" Hermione asked worriedly. Their salads had just arrived, but she was too nervous to eat. Instead, she took to pushing the cherry tomatoes around the plate with her fork.

Draco reached across the table and removed the fork from her hand. "What is it you're always telling Liam about playing with his food?" he chided, smiling as he set the fork between them. "Just relax. Mother can reach us if anything happens." He held up the charmed galleon she had given him while pregnant.

The sight of the coin seemed to ease her anxiety, but only slightly. Reaching for her fork, she began to eat. "Did I tell you that Harry proposed?" she asked. Glancing up from her salad, she noticed that Draco shifted uncomfortably across from her.

"Are you alright?" she asked, spearing a slice of cucumber.

"There's something I want to talk to you about," he replied.


	12. Chapter 12

Thought I would post before the weekend! Without giving anything away, I have this feeling that I'm going to receive some angry reviews for this chapter. You'll understand what I mean when you get there. I really like this chapter though, and I hope you all will too. There's only a few more after it, I am sad to say.

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><p>Chapter 12<br>"What is it?" she asked, her voice wavering as she held her fork tighter.

Draco leaned to his left, digging his hand into his pocket. He kept his hands beneath the table as he spoke, "I love you, and not just because of Liam. That night we got together was when I first realized that I liked being in your life. When you told me you were pregnant, I thought marrying you was the only way to stay in not only the baby's life, but in your life. And despite the fact that we were never friends or even friendly towards one another, you let me in. The past year and a half has opened my eyes to a whole new world from the one in which I was raised. And I want to stay there.

"So," he chuckled, "what I'm trying to ask you is will you marry me?" He opened a small black box and placed it on the table between them.

Hermione dropped her fork, hitting her salad plate with a loud clatter. The hand that previously held the utensil covered her mouth as she gasped. Her free hand reached for the ring. "Are you sure?" she asked, gingerly holding the box. She caught his frown as he rose from his chair and moved to her side of the table. "I mean, I'm..."

He took the ring box from her hand. "You're exactly who I want to spend the rest of my life with," he finished for her.

_Draco wandered Diagon Alley the day after the party at his family's house. He was supposed to be at work, but his mind was far from the office. The streets were sparsely populated for a Saturday morning, though most people were not out and about before nine o'clock._

_It wasn't until the rain started that he sought shelter in the Leaky Cauldron. A few early risers occupied tables, but it was the man who beckoned to him that he didn't expect to see so early in the morning._

_"Morning, Malfoy," Harry Potter greeted him, gesturing for him to sit. "Want anything?"_

_Lowering himself into the chair across from his former schoolmate, Draco shook his head. "Are you staying here?" he asked, looking around the dimly lit pub._

_Harry nodded, taking a sip of his tea. "How's Mione? I haven't seen her in awhile."_

_"Liam's keeping her up most of the night," Draco replied, leaning against the chair back. "But they're both good."_

_Harry nodded, shaking his head to the side to clear his hair from his eyes. "So, do you love her?" he wondered after several minutes of silence._

_If he had been drinking, the liquid would have covered Harry's face. Draco sputtered, his eyes widening as the question played over in his mind. The whole situation had to be a dream, he decided. Never in his waking hours would Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter share a table at the Leaky Cauldron while carrying on a pleasant conversation. Hermione would be pleased, of that much he was sure. A smile tugged up the corners of his lips as he thought of the witch._

_"I thought so," Harry concluded, grinning knowingly._

_"Thought what?" Draco inquired, letting the smile go._

_Harry cocked his head to the side, shooting him a look that begged the blonde not to play dumb. "You love her," he explained. He noticed the nervous look on his former enemy's face and smiled. "I'm fine with it. Ron, on the other hand, is still carrying a torch for our girl. But Hermione's smart, of course we all know that, and if she thinks you're a good guy then so do I."_

Draco looked up at her, hope in his usually cold gray eyes. "What do you say, Hermione?" he asked, his heart beating rapidly as he awaited her answer.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she studied the diamond engagement ring he presented to her. While things had changed between them since that night in the pub, she hadn't realized that he loved her enough to want to marry her. It was no longer an obligation, but a choice they were both free to make.

The word "yes" was on the tip of her tongue, fighting to be set free. But all that came out was, "Wow."

The blonde stared at her, taken aback by her reaction. Lightly tinted eyebrows furrowed as his shoulders slumped in defeat. If she hadn't accepted his proposal by now, Draco knew she never would. He could feel her rejection in his very bones, deep down to the pit of stomach. He waited quietly for her list of reasons they shouldn't marry, but she just continued to stare at him with wide, wet brown eyes as her hand covered her mouth.

He started to rise, but Hermione took hold of his free hand. She took a deep breath in hopes of calming her rattled nerves.

_"Do you think she loves you too?" Harry wondered, as if he and the former Slytherin were the best of friends. "Do you think she'd ever marry you?"_

"I love you," she murmured, her voice thick from unshed tears. He remained kneeling in front of her, knowing the patrons around them were staring. But to Hermione, she and Draco were the only people in the restaurant. She leaned forward and let her lips brush softly over his. "And not just because of Liam either," she added.

A smile crested momentarily on his lips as he awaited her next words. "Hermione?" he asked quietly.

It was a short list, her list of reasons they shouldn't marry. They lived together, had a child together, loved one another. But there was still a hesitancy to fully commit to the man in front of her. She feared, rather unfoundedly, that he would eventually grow tired of her much in the same way Ron had. Liam was their common ground, the only link between the former enemies. She loved Draco, surely she did, but was it enough to warrant spending the rest of the lives together?

"Hermione?" he asked again, shifting to alleviate the pain of kneeling on the hardwood floor.

She released his hand and stood from her seat. "I don't know," she said tearfully, grabbing her purse and cloak before exiting the restaurant.

_Draco sighed and shook his head. "No, I don't think she would," he replied resignedly._


	13. Chapter 13

Thanks for not being too angry with me for the last chapter! As usual, I'm posting while waiting for someone at work. It's the same coworker who thinks I'm the "new girl" because I cut off my hair. It took him a good while this morning to recognize me, which I found pretty funny. Better, though, than the time I cut my hair and my dad asked if I grew when I mentioned there was something different about me. That was actually funnier.

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><p>Chapter 13<br>Hermione returned to the flat a full five minutes before Draco. She stood just outside the door trying to get her emotions in check before she had to face his mother. A part of her wondered if Narcissa knew what Draco had planned, if she approved of his decision, or if she would be glad that Hermione's indecisive response would mean she was one step closer to being out of Draco's life for good. She sobbed audibly at her last thought.

Wiping her eyes and gathering what little strength she had, Hermione opened the door and stepped into her flat. Narcissa was seated primly on the sofa with a book held open in front of her.

"Where's Draco?" Narcissa asked, her cool demeanor slipping at the sight of the distraught girl.

"He's coming," Hermione replied, sniffling. "Was Liam alright?"

Narcissa nodded, but before she could expound, the front door opened. Draco looked at Hermione briefly before turning to his mother. He closed the distance between them and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. "Thanks for watching him, Mum," he said softly, the defeat still evident in his usually confident voice. "I take it things went well? The coin never burned." He held up his communicator galleon that he had carried around since reuniting with Hermione.

The older blonde placed a comforting hand on her son's cheek. "He was an angel," she replied. "A much better baby than you were."

There was no retort from the wizard; merely a nod of his head as he left the living room. Hermione watched him walk down the hall to the nursery and shut the door. Narcissa eyed her carefully, looking hesitant about asking for the details. Hermione offered none, and the two women stood in awkward silence.

The nursery door opened and closed once more, and Draco walked into the master bedroom. He returned minutes later with a small overnight bag slung over his shoulder.

"I'm going to escort my mother home," Draco informed Hermione, not quite meeting her eyes. "I'm going to stay with her for a couple of days."

Hermione nodded sadly and wished his mother a good night. The Malfoys didn't move until Hermione was behind the closed door of her bedroom.

"Something you want to talk about?" Narcissa asked, taking Draco's arm as they entered the floo.

"Nope," he replied tersely, calling out for Malfoy Manor.

_Hermione stood outside of the small, two story home. She had grown up in the house, lived there until she was accepted to Hogwarts. But now the place seemed strange, foreign. It was rare that she visited. After casting the memory charm on her parents, Henry and Jane, at the start of the war, it had taken a little over a year to track them down in Australia. To say that they were upset for their only daughter's actions would have been an understatement. It was another year before they spoke to her. For a year, they spoke infrequently over the phone and saw each other only on the major holidays._

_And then she had broken the news that she was pregnant. She had expected tears from her mother and her father to angrily demand Draco's address so he could beat him into a bloody pulp. But neither reaction came. Instead, her mother calmly asked if they would marry. When Hermione said no, her father shrugged and remarked that at least they wouldn't have to buy them a toaster._

_Now, ten months later, she stood on their doorstep with her son cradled in her arms, waiting for one of them to open the door. It was Henry who let her in with a terse greeting. He eyed the bundle in her arms as they made their way to the family room. They remained tensely silent as they awaited Jane's presence._

Draco sat on his bed in his childhood bedroom, staring at the old Quidditch posters that decorated the walls. They were the only thing that felt youthful in the large room. In his younger years, his mother would frown disapprovingly at the decorations and beg him to take them down. The posters, however, were his way of rebelling in a world where he was given whatever his heart desired.

He rose from the bed and walked over to the first poster. It had been autographed by Viktor Krum prior to the Quidditch World Cup before the start of his fourth year. He carefully pulled it away from the wall and rolled it up tightly. Then he moved onto the next, methodically pulling down each of the posters and rolling them up before sliding the tubes under his bed. It was time to move on from such petty childhood rebellions. After all, he'd already committed the most heinous act a pureblood could commit.

When he finished with his task, he sat back down and stared at the grandfather clock. A gentle snort slipped up his throat and out his nose. What kind of parent decorated a child's room with a loud, chiming grandfather clock? The clock struck noon and Draco sighed, falling back against the mattress.

Less than a day and he already missed them.

_"Oh, hello dear," Jane greeted her airily as she set down tea service. Her brown eyes, so much like Hermione's, shifted to the baby who slept in his mother's arms. "And this must be..."_

_"Liam, " Hermione finished for her, pride in her tone as she spoke his name. She glanced down at the sleeping baby and stroked his cheek affectionately with her index finger. "Liam Draco Malfoy."_

_Henry piqued an eyebrow. "Not Granger?" he inquired, leaning forward._

_"I would have thought he would only be Malfoy if you married the father," Jane added, not at all happy. "Isn't he the boy who teased you as children?"_

_Hermione shrugged. "I wasn't exactly a gem to him either," she muttered._

Narcissa knocked on the door, letting herself in when he gave no indication that he would grant her permission. "Your father and I are going to be out for a few hours," she announced. She waited patiently for Draco to sit up and acknowledge her. When he didn't she continued on. "I really wish you wouldn't mope around your old room."

"I'm not moping," he muttered, continuing to lie back and stare up at the ceiling. "Besides, it's not like I've got anywhere else to go."

Narcissa crossed the room to stand at the foot of the bed where his legs dangled down to the floor. "That's rubbish, Draco, and you know it," she replied before turning on her heel. It wasn't until he heard his door shut that he sat up.

_"Well, I just think it's immoral that a man and a woman would choose not to marry when they are in a situation like yours," Jane declared, shaking at her head at her daughter. Hermione could hear the disappointment and disdain that dripped from every word. She held her tongue though, knowing this wasn't the first, nor the last, time her mother would make her opinion known. "Besides, from what you've told us about him, Draco can take care of you. He can provide for you and the baby, if only you would marry him. You could have such a lovely life."_

_Hermione felt her anger rise, bathing her cheeks and neck and ears in a bright red. "I do have a lovely life, Mother," she retorted, trying to keep the tension out of her arms in fear of waking Liam. "Draco and I...marriage wouldn't work." She rose from the sofa, readjusting the baby, and walked to the front door. "I'm sorry I bothered you. I won't do it again."_

_She Apparated home, knowing Draco would be there when she returned. It was Sunday, after all; he was always there on Sunday._


	14. Chapter 14

There seemed to be some mixed emotions about Draco's proposal. Some thought they moved too quickly, some just want them to get married already. I've finished the story, so I know exactly what happens. I just hope you all like it!

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><p>Chapter 14<br>Silent tears slipped down Hermione's cheeks as she stared at the television. It was off and she could see her pathetic reflection in the blackness of the screen. The flat was quiet, too quiet, as Liam napped. Occasionally, she would glance toward the door, willing it to open. Willing Draco to walk through it. But after hours of doing so, it hadn't worked.

She skipped the usual Sunday brunch with the Weasleys. It would hurt too much to pretend to be happy. It would hurt too much to explain Draco's absence. Her hand reached up to wipe the tears from her right cheek, then her left.

A wave of tiredness swept over her. She hadn't slept the night before, spending the darkened hours wishing he would reappear. Her head drooped, chin practically touching her chest, and she gave in to the sleep her body so desperately craved.

Dreams of moments past swam through her subconscious mind as she reclined against the arm of the sofa.

_"I think Hermione Malfoy has a nice ring to it," Ginny mused as she fed Liam. He was cradled in his mother's best friend's arms, contentedly pulling gulps from the bottle between his rounded pink lips._

_Part of her wanted to smile as she lovingly eyed her son, but another part, the stronger part, rolled her eyes at the redhead. It wasn't the first time Ginny made that pronouncement, nor would it be her last._

_"You can't even be sure he'd want to marry me," Hermione muttered._

_A mischievous smile crossed Ginny's face. She knew something, something she was dying to share with her friend. "Our boys talked, you know."_

_Her curiosity was piqued. But not by the words exchanged between Harry and Draco. "And no hexes were thrown?" she asked incredulously._

_Ginny shook her head proudly. "Not a one," she replied, shifting Liam to her shoulder. "Anyhow, if you hadn't guessed, the conversation was about you. Has Malfoy tried to propose to you at all?"_

_Sighing, Hermione sat down in the armchair adjacent to the couch. "Once, about a month after I told him I was pregnant," Hermione told her friend. "But he hasn't asked since."_

_"You sound disappointed," the redhead commented, rising to hand son back to mother._

_"I don't want him to marry me because he thinks he needs to. I want him to marry me because he loves me," Hermione stated, holding Liam close as they stepped into the floo to go home. Liam wailed as they stepped out of the green flames. "Shh, Li-Li, it's fine. We're home now. No more floo."_

_Draco sat on the couch waiting for them, and rose to take Liam from her arms. He bounced his son carefully as his cries subsided. "Apparently, I hated the floo too when I was younger," he said more to his son than to Hermione. "Cried until I was four whenever my mum dragged me into it." He looked at her then, and was taken aback by the surprise in her brown eyes._

_"I never would have thought," was her only reply, mystified by his confession._

_He closed the small gap between them and cupped her cheek with his free hand. "I do feel things, you know."_

Hermione stirred, moving her hand up to rest against her cheek. She could still feel his touch, even though it had been a dream. Her eyes opened upon Draco kneeling by the side of the couch, his hand resting beneath hers on the side of her face.

"I didn't think you'd be home," he said softly. She tried to sit up, but he told her to stay. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

Hermione shook her head against their hands, feeling the irritating tears slip past her eyes once more. "I couldn't," she murmured. "I, um, I kept thinking I was hearing things. All night long. The door opening, the floo activating. I thought about calling you, just asking you to come over like you used to do before. God, I felt like the Katie Morosky to your Hubbell Gardner, just needing a friend. Wanting someone there to help me fall asleep. But I couldn't pluck up the courage to do it."

Draco chuckled softly. "You've got to stop watching those old movies before going to bed," he chided. She laughed quietly and agreed. Many times, he'd found her asleep on the couch while _The Way We Were_ played on the screen. He would sit and watch until its conclusion before shutting off the television and carrying her to the bedroom. "You're a lot like her though. Stubborn, righteous, unflagging in your convictions."

"People are their principles," she quoted, her voice just above a whisper.

His hand slid away from her face as he sunk back to sit on his heels. Hermione finally sat up, wrapping her arms around her stomach. "What am I doing wrong?" he wondered, glancing down at the carpeted floor. "Or is it you? Have you just gotten so used to turning down Weasley's proposals that when a sincere one comes along it's instinct to say no?"

Her arms unwound from her torso and she reached down to take his hands. "We've done everything so...out of order. You know how I hate that," she replied with a small laugh. She let it go and set a sobering expression on her face. "We didn't love each other when you first proposed, and it was only obligation that made you do it. But now I'm afraid, Draco, that I'm going to lose you. Like I lost Ron."

Draco shifted up onto his knees and pressed his lips to hers. "I'm not Ron," he murmured against her soft flesh. He continued his mantra as he deepened the kiss, their tongues swirling together as he laid her back and covered her body with his own. His hand slipped under her sweater to rest on her stomach as he pulled away to look deeply into her eyes. "I'm not going anywhere. Liam isn't what holds us together. I know you never saw yourself being with me, but you didn't have to be. You could have walked away, never told me about the baby, made up some story for Weasley about a blonde haired great aunt."

Stretching her neck, she kissed him gently. "I couldn't do that," she whispered against his lips. "Why did you come back?" she asked, hopeful that his answer had something to do with her.

"Clean clothes," he replied, embarrassed by his admission. The bag he had packed the night before contained only a tooth brush, pair of pajama pants, and a shirt that belonged to her.

Her hands slipped away from their hold around his neck. "Oh," she said with a frown. She struggled to pull herself into a seated position as he was still draped over her. "So you're leaving again?"

With a sigh, Draco moved off of her and stood. "I don't want to," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. He wanted to stay with her forever, and they both knew it.

Scrambling to her feet, Hermione rose and rested her hands on his waist. "Then don't," she replied, sliding her hands up his sides to his shoulders before she reached his neck. She pulled his head down for a searing kiss that left them breathless when they parted. Her eyes opened to meet his sparkling, stormy gray eyes. "Stay. Marry me," she whispered before letting their lips connect once more.


	15. Chapter 15

Happy Memorial Day! This is the last chapter before the epilogue, sadly. Next week, I'll be on vacation. I'm still debating whether or not to take my computer with me. It kind of all depends on how much I pack and if it'll fit. But I will definitely finish posting this story before I leave!

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><p>Chapter 15<br>_"I have a sickle says Granger pops the question to you," Blaise Zabini announced, downing his third firewhiskey._

_Draco frowned, nursing his first drink of the night. Blaise and Theo Nott sat across from him, both boys on the precipice of inebriation. But he was completely sober. After all, he planned to go back to Hermione's flat and spend time with his son. She would never dream of letting him near Liam if he were drunk. _

_"You two still shag?" Theo inquired, flagging down a waitress for another round. _

_Blaise laughed. "No, they don't. And I quote Draco...quoting Granger on this 'the last time we had sex I wound up with a baby. It won't be happening again. Ever.'" His laughter increased as Theo joined in, and the two men leaned against one another for support. _

_Draco set his half-full glass down on the wooden top of the table with a audible bang. "Thanks for the drink, mates," he said sarcastically. "Really hope to do this again soon." Theo and Blaise continued their raucous laughter as Draco stepped into the floo near their table. _

They fell back against the pillows, sweaty and sated. Hermione breathed deeply, inhaling Draco's musky smell as she rested her head on his shoulder. She rolled over so her chin dug into his flesh and smiled at the flushed man beside her.

"You never answered my question," she said, tracing teasing circles over his stomach.

Draco donned a thoughtful look, pondering her statement. "And what question was that?" he asked.

Using what little strength she had left, Hermione pulled herself up just enough to kiss him softly. "Marry me," she murmured, her breath warming his lips.

"That's not a question," he retorted. His arms wound around her waist and flipped her onto her back.

Her fingers spun around the fine hairs at the nape of his neck. "How would you do it then?" she asked, a cheeky smile stretching across her lips.

He shook his head, returning her grin. "I see what you're trying to do," he replied, attempting to pull away. She held onto his neck, but he managed to push up until his arms was straight. "And it's not going to work."

A small pout formed on her lips.

_"How was tonight?" Hermione asked, glancing up briefly from her book when he stepped out of her fireplace._

_"My friends are idiots," he grumbled, flopping down onto the sofa beside her. His head rested on her thighs as she set the book aside. "Who's idea was this, anyway?"_

_"Sorry," she replied sheepishly, brushing the fringe off of his forehead. "Were you able to have any fun at all?"_

_"No," he groused. His bottom lip jutted outwards in a pout as he closed his eyes, relishing the feel of her hand running through his hair. "They did try to set me up with a very pretty blonde," he added, cracking one eye open to gauge her reaction. It had been only partially the truth. The woman in question was a prostitute with missing front teeth and a slightly droopy left eye who wandered Knockturn Alley in search of someone who would buy her dinner and sample her wares. _

_But Hermione didn't need to know any of that. She frowned, saying nothing in response. Her hand tightened slightly in his hair, causing him to wince. Only then did she remove her hand. Draco smirked triumphantly; she was jealous._

He moved off of her, lying down beside her. She rolled onto her side so her back was to him. They lay in silence listening to the soft tick, tick, tick of the alarm clock. Then he heard her sniffle. The sound was so soft, so light, Draco thought he had imagined it. Turning over, he rested his hand on her waist and angled himself up to see a singular tear slip down her cheek.

"Do you regret it?" she asked. She remained turned away from him, her face pressed into the pillow so he couldn't see her anguish.

"Regret what, love?" he asked in response, genuinely concerned.

Hermione sighed, sniffled, and sighed again. "We weren't supposed to be together," she said. "It was supposed to be Ron and me. He and I were supposed to love each other, get married, have children with ginger hair and brown eyes. But then you came back into my life, and I wanted nothing more than to go up to that dank, cramped little room with you. I thought it would be a one time thing, something I could blame on the alcohol.

"But then everything happened, and even if we never loved each other, we were etched so indelibly into the other's life. I feel like I've trapped you. Jerked you around for almost two years because I'm a bloody coward." She stopped and inhaled a shaky breath. "So, my question is do you regret it? Any of it."

Tugging gently on her arm, Draco forced her to roll over and face him. His hand brushed away her tears and smoothed back her hair. "There was a...very brief glimmer of regret at first," he answered honestly. "When you sat on the bathroom floor of my flat, and I knew that I was the cause of everything that happened." She opened her mouth to interrupt, to refute, but he covered her mouth with his hand. "It's my turn to speak. I never knew how to love anyone until you and Liam. I don't regret loving you. I don't regret the life we created, and I wouldn't regret it if we had another. We can't help who we love, so why bother trying to fight it?"

His words were beautifully chosen and spoken, and all Hermione could do was nod when he finished. A tender hand cupped his cheek, a thumb tracing sweeping glances over the blonde stubble on his jaw. When she found her voice again, she spoke, "I have one regret, maybe two. The first is I wish I had been more open to you from the beginning. I should have demanded that you be here from the start instead of trying to push you away because of my own stupid fears."

Draco turned his head to kiss her palm. "What's the second?" he asked quietly, letting his hand stroke her side from her ribs down to her hip.

"Not accepting your proposal," she replied.

He smiled sadly, detaching himself from her to leave the bed. When he sat in his childhood bedroom at Malfoy Manor he had stared at the ring for hours on end instead of sleeping. For the better part of a year he had longed to see how the ring looked on his love's finger. Perhaps now he would get the chance. Pulling the ring from the pocket of his pants he slid back onto the bed. He took her left hand in his and slid the ring onto her finger up to the first knuckle.

"Should I keep going?" he asked. Hermione nodded until it rested at the base of her finger. He smiled and brought her hand up to his lips. "I'm gonna marry you, Hermione Granger."

She kissed him passionately. "Gladly."


	16. Epilogue

Here is it, the end. Thank you to everyone who has stuck with me this long. I was absolutely giddy when the reviews reached 200! You know I always appreciate the support.

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><p>Epilogue - The Future<br>Hermione Malfoy smiled dreamily as she rubbed her seven month pregnant stomach. It was their third child, and, Hermione hoped, their last. Liam, their first born and the reason she and Draco had been brought together, would be leaving in only an hour for his first year at Hogwarts. Ella Jean, lovingly nicknamed E.J. by her father, was six years old and an exact replica of her mother. Except for her eyes - Malfoy gray. Baby number three had come as a complete surprise to Hermione and Draco.

_The ceremony was beautiful. Held on the grounds of Malfoy Manor, Narcissa had spared no expense in giving her only son the perfect wedding. Hermione had given the older witch a grateful hug when she spotted the Weasley family seated in the second row, a hug Narcissa immediately returned._

_"You are exactly the kind of woman I had always hoped my son would marry," the blonde whispered in her ear before releasing her._

_"Thank you," Hermione replied sincerely. Narcissa left for her seat beside her disgruntled husband. Next, Hermione watched her two year-old son take the aisle with a soft, white pillow in his hands. Halfway down the aisle, he stopped and turned to look at his mother. Then he glanced to his father, as if torn about which parent to go to. And so he sat down. A smattering of laughter erupted amongst the guests as Draco encouraged him to come to the front. Finally, he rose and continued to the altar._

"Mummy, I wanna go to Hogwarts, too," Ella complained, and not for the first time that morning.

Hermione turned around slowly from where she had been facing the counter to see her children seated around the kitchen table. "_Want to_, Ella, not wanna," she corrected the little girl. "And you will, in five years."

Draco entered the kitchen just then. "My E.J. would never try to leave me," he declared, scooping up his daughter into his arms. "She'd never dream of it."

Ella leaned her head against her father's shoulder. "I still _want_ to go," she pouted.

Liam rose from his chair with his juice glass in hand. He walked past his mother to refill the glass and drank it down in one gulp before pouring more. On his way back to the table, Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him into her side. He scowled, trying to wriggle away, but she held tight.

"Love, can you get her dressed?" Hermione asked. "Liam and I will take care of the clean up."

Draco turned around to exit the kitchen, and with a wave of his wand, the breakfast dishes were soaking. When they were alone, Hermione slackened her grip on her son's arm, but only just slightly.

"Talk to me," she said, leading them to the table. He helped her into a chair and sat next to her. Liam remained silent, choosing instead to stare at his folded hands atop the table or attempt to charm the napkins into various shapes. Hermione sighed, trying to remain patient with her first born. "What's bothering you?" she asked. Liam's only response was to shake his head. She threw out several excuses - missing home, not being able to sleep in his own bed, being away from his family for the first time, nervous about what he'd be learning. But to all of them, he shook his head no. Groaning in frustration, Hermione asked, "Then what is it?"

_"How did you convince my parents to come?" Hermione wondered as Draco held her close. They were sharing their first dance as a newly wed couple._

_Draco shrugged nonchalantly and pulled her tighter to him. "It was no big deal," he replied with his usual casual flippancy. "I merely explained that they were the ones to declare they wouldn't speak to you until we married. And since we were, in fact, getting married, it was about time they put their money where their mouths were. Is that the proper phrasing?" Hermione nodded, smiling at his use of a muggle cliche._

_"Anyhow," he continued just as the song ended, "I think they also realized that they've missed out on so much of their grandson's life, and yours. They didn't take too kindly to me being the one to deliver the message, but they came. So, mission accomplished."_

_Hermione stretched up onto her toes, and pressed her lips to his. "You truly amaze me," she murmured, her eyes watering with joyful tears._

_A hand tapped her shoulder as more couples joined them on the dance floor. "May I cut in?"_

_Hermione whirled around to see Ron standing behind her. She looked back to Draco who gave her an encouraging nod. Ron took her hand in his and placed the other on her waist. "Well, it's better than dancing with McGonagall," he joked with a nervous lilt in his voice. Hermione laughed softly at the memory of the Yule Ball dance rehearsal, but the smile she wore dissolved as she thought of the night of dance. Ron's jealous tendencies had reared their ugly head for the first, but certainly not the last, time._

_"I'm a bit surprised you came," she said, her hand feeling clammy in his larger one._

_"I thought I should apologize," Ron replied, his cheeks beginning to blush, "to you and your husband. All that stuff I said, well I shouldn't have. You know me, Mione, I don't take change well, and I felt like you had replaced me pretty quickly."_

He stood to fill his juice glass once more and leaned against the close refigerator. "You're replacing me," he muttered, sullenly staring at the bits of pulp in his orange juice. "I'm going to school and you're replacing me with another kid. Ellie I could handle until she started talking. Now it's all 'Daddy, pay attention to me!' and 'Daddy, can't you talk the headmistress into letting me go to Hogwarts too?' It's like she thinks the world revolves around her! And now, I get another sibling to put up with. Least I'll be at school most of the year."

Hermione rose with great care from her seat and walked over to him. She put her hands on his arms and looked him directly in the eye. "We could never replace you," she said adamantly. "We've never wanted to replace you. You are the best thing that's ever happened to us. Your sister wants to be like you because she admires you. You're her big brother, Li. Sometimes you just need to cut her a little slack. She's going to miss you just as much as you'll miss her."

_The tears that had welled up in her eyes before slowly began to spill over. "I never wanted to replace you," she stated. "I just have always wanted to be your friend, even when you're being a git."_

_Ron smiled. "I've missed you."_

_Hermione returned his grin. "I've missed you too."_

"I won't miss her," he grumbled, moving into his mother's embrace. "You and Dad, you'll write to me, right?"

Hermione smiled and kissed the top of his head. When he came home for Christmas, he would probably be taller than her. "We'll probably write everyday, multiple times a day. And we'll send care packages and photos and anything you need," she promised. "Your dad even mentioned arranging it with the headmistress to allow you to come home for a bit when the baby is born."

He nodded stiffly and stepped out of her embrace when his father reentered the kitchen. "Ready to go?" Draco asked. Liam nodded and left to gather his belongings. Hermione remained where she stood, her hands supporting her back. She smiled at her husband as he approached, resting his hand on her swollen stomach.

"Still hope it's a girl?" she asked, placing her hand over his.

Draco nodded. "I know what he thinks," he replied, his expression somber. "It's kind of why I'd prefer a girl. Any other boy we had would just pale in comparison to Liam."

"Because he brought us together," she finished for him.

Draco leaned down and brushed his wife's lips with his own. "I'll always be grateful to him," he murmured against her lips. "I love you."

The pair winced when they heard Ella's cries followed shortly by running footsteps. "Love you too," Hermione replied just before the kitchen door burst open.

"Daddy, Li-Li said he's gonna use a jelly legs jinx on me," Ella cried.

Draco pulled away to pick up the little girl. "And you tell him you know how to break that spell," he whispered conspiratorially to her.

Ella nodded. "It's still unjellify, right, Daddy?"

"That's right," he told her with a smile. They reached the foyer where Liam met them with his trunk. "It's Hogwarts time!" Draco declared.

The family floo'd to the train station, King's Cross, and crossed trough the barrier to Platform 9 ¾. It had been years since Hermione and Draco had last been there, but nothing had changed. The red steam locomotive was parked as children trudged along with their parents and trolleys loaded down with luggage.

Hermione took Ella by the hand as Draco pulled Liam aside. "I want you to have this," Draco said, pulling the charmed galleon out of his pocket. Liam looked unimpressed by a coin he'd seen thousands of times. "Your mum gave me that when she was pregnant with you. It's charmed so that we could communicate short messages to each other. Just hold it in your hand, think your message, and it'll burn on our end when we get it."

"Thanks Dad," Liam replied, slipping it into his pocket. He ran a hand through his blonde hair, pushing it away from his eyes.

"Just...use it once in a while. It'll make your mother happy," Draco requested. Liam nodded in agreement and allowed Draco to loop his arm around his thin shoulders. "Just one more favor - when you're at school, be more like your mum than me."

"So then Uncle Harry's stories are true?" Liam asked, the first bit of excitement he had felt all day danced in his brown eyes. Rolling his eyes, Draco nodded. "You were really turned into a ferret? Finally, some explanation as to why Mum calls you that when she gets mad."

"Shouldn't you be getting on the train now?" Draco inquired, fighting the smile that played on his lips. The Malfoy men hugged goodbye before Liam moved over to his mother and sister. They watched as he boarded the train, disappearing from their sight while he searched for a compartment near where they stood on the platform. A window opened, and the familiar shock of blonde hair greeted them once more. Heads stuck out of other windows as the train began to leave the station.

Later that evening, long after dinner and Ella's bath, Hermione sat in front of the fire staring into the bright orange flames. When Draco joined her after putting Ella to bed, he looked more exhausted than she felt.

"Sorting and the welcoming feast should be over by now," Hermione grumbled, turning her attention to the window.

"And the owl has to fly all the way from Scotland," Draco reminded her. His arm wound around her shoulders, pulling her close to him. He pressed a kiss to her temple and sighed. "I can't recall the last time the house felt so quiet."

Hermione laughed. "That's because it never was," she pointed out, taking hold of his free hand. "We never did the whole 'just us living together' thing. But now we've got another one to prolong empty nest syndrome. Speaking of which, there's something I found out when I had my check up the other day."

"Twins?" Draco guessed, groaning at the thought.

"Better," she replied. There was the tap of a owl's beak on the window, and Draco rose to retrieve the letter it carried. "You're getting your girl."

Draco smiled happily as he opened the letter from Liam. "And my son is truly a Malfoy," he added, handing her the note.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "As if there was any room for doubt," she mumbled, taking the letter from him.

**Dear Mum and Dad,**

**Guess I've already ignored your advice, Dad. I just got sorted into Slytherin. Don't worry, Mum, I promise to get good grades like you did to make up for it. Send me a message back on the coin. I want to make sure it works. Give Ellie a hug for me, and tell her I miss her already. I can't wait to see you soon. Maybe by then I'll have made the House team.**

**Love from your favorite (and hopefully only) son,**  
><strong>Liam<strong>


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